From the photos, Cheng Weidong, a famous Chinese photographer, tells you a true developing Tibet in different angles and also his stories in Tibet.

Photo shows the Ruins of Guge Kingdom in Nagri, west Tibet. Guge is said to be the highest ancient kingdom located on the ridge of the Roof of the World, as Tibet is called. Cheng stepped foot on this "no man’s land" in 1997. "At that time, there was no water, electricity in this site, just one Tibetan gatekeeper named Phurbu Chusang who could only speak broke Chinese and started working there in 1991." Cheng Weidong said.[File photo]

Photo taken in 2009, shows 44-year-old Phurbu(1st left) and his wife(2nd right), two-year-old son and mother-in -law(1st right). The four of them lived in a house of some ten square meters. But compared with the past, their conditions were improved with Phurbu’s monthly salary increasing from 200 yuan to over 4,000 yuan. As a gatekeeper, Phurbu painted Thangka at his spare time and donated most Thangka paintings to monasteries and his hometown. In 2010, the central government has appropriated nearly 60 mln yuan on renovation of the Guge. In 2013, Phurbu was honored for his special contribution to protecting the Tibetan culture.[File photo]

Photo shows Tibetan antelopes. In 1999, Cheng took pictures in the Qiangtang Nature Reserve covering an area of more than 200,000 sq km in northern Tibet and is home to over 400 kinds of wild animals. "In the past, illegal poaching was very rampant here due to lack of supervision. A piece of pashmina made of wool stripped off from Tibetan antelopes could sell as high as 0.1 mln USD. But nowadays, poaching cases were reduced under stricter supervision." Cheng said. In 2013, the Tibetan Autonomous Region released that the antelope population was reaching 0.15 mln.[File photo]

The 10th Panchen Lama (left) and Cheng (right). Cheng has taken pictures of the 10th Panchen Lama in many big occasions and has took part in the various celebrations in Tibet such as the 40th and 50th Anniversaries of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet in 1991 and 2001 respectively and 36th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Tibetan Autonomous Region in 1995. "Though not a Buddhist believer, I show respect to their belief,” he said. Nowadays in Tibet, Buddhist atmosphere are stronger than before because of people’s livelihood are improving. “For example, when I was in Lhasa taking part in the celebration of 40th Anniversary of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet in 1991, I saw people lived poor and many daily appliances were inaccessible. But nowadays, things became more convenient, a bank card will be enough if you tour in Lhasa," Cheng said.[File photo]

Words cannot fully express Cheng’s feelings towards the changes in Tibet, that’s why he prefers camera the most direct way to tell stories.

Photo taken in 1999 shows a village in Medog, Nyingchi, southeast Tibet. In April 1999, Cheng entered Medog with a Tibetan expedition thru the Yarlung Zangbu Grand Canyon after 20 days. Human back was the only transportation means then because there no way directing to Medog.[Photo/Cheng Weidong]

A view of Medog nowdays.In December 2010, a key project to build a 3.3-km tunnel through Galung La Mountain was completed and opened to traffic. Cheng witnessed the hardness of the construction work and the memory of getting in Medog on cars still bounces in his mind. That time, it took only one day to enter Medog. At the end of Oct. 2013, the Medog Highway was officially opened, linking Medog County in the Tibet to the rest of the country, ending the county's status as the only one in China inaccessible by road. The people of Medog can now take cars and coaches on the 117-km highway that links Medog and Zhamog Township, the county seat of Bome. The trip takes roughly seven to eight hours in good weather conditions, though snow and storms can tack on travel time.[Photo/Cheng Weidong]